This is normally the time of year where we start getting results from all the standardized tests of the previous year. With that comes the think pieces about how US students are trailing countries like Singapore and Finland in math and science. Though we have become accustomed to hearing about the math and science gap,…
Last month, the youngest member of our family turned 13. Like many other parents when their child reaches the milestone of officially entering the teenage years, I had a range of emotions, from being a little sad my baby was growing up to not looking forward to all those rather annoying things that come along…
I know all too well the weight of the invisible tax of being a black educator. There is an assumption that I can better connect with black students and discipline them because I am black. I do have similar experiences to some of my black students, but I do not believe those experiences, or my…
Educators are often told to only focus on things within their locus of control. This makes sense considering it is the only thing we have power over. I can’t control what happens outside the four walls of my class; therefore, most of my time and energy should be spent there. However, in this modern age…
“The learning should be its own reward.” This is a common refrain told to new teachers. It is mainly used to discourage giving students rewards for meeting expectations, a practice known to many as bribing. I stop just short of calling it bribing. I typically opt for the term incentive or rewards; however, the general…
Unless you live under a rock, you know school districts across Indiana are closing for the Red for Ed Action Day on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, which is the same date as the start of the legislative session. That’s what I hate. Schools are closing including my sons’ school. Children should not be a bartering…
I have a confession to make. I want to confess something that I have kept to myself for a while. I did not want to share it because I know it can be a little controversial in the world of education. Grades are grades, and honestly, when you are an adult, no one remembers or…
One of the biggest hurdles for low-income families is childcare. Lack of childcare presents problems for working families. For example, if you are a single mother, it is hard to hold down a job if you don’t have anyone to watch your children. Yes, you can pay for daycare or something similar, but that…
“BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD” Today is World Kindness Day. On this day, we celebrate the kindness and what is right in the world. Today, people are encouraged to spread kindness. There is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Those small acts of kindness have a ripple effect that spreads to…
Preparing students for college is a focus of schools across America. College is one of the three options students can choose. School districts such as Indianapolis Public Schools focus on the three Es: enroll, enlist, employ. Veterans Day is a day to thank military men and women for their service, but it can also be…